What? Me Worry?

 

Here’s a simple truth— it hurts to care. When you have an expectation that life should be fair, people should be kind, leaders should be honest and all trains should run on time, you are setting yourself up for heartbreak, disappointment, betrayal. You return time and time again to kick the football and Life, like Lucy, snatches it away and you’re flat on your back. It hurts. 

 

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like not to care. To sleep on the floor so you needn’t worry about falling out of the bed. To lower the bar so that even the smallest insect can crawl over it. 

 

In preparing for my upcoming Memphis Jazz/ Blues course, I started collecting some memorable blues lyrics. Like B.B. King’s 

 

 Nobody loves me, but my mother,
 And she could be jivin` too.

 

One of my favorite blues composers is Mose Allison of “your mind is on vacation and your mouth is working overtime” fame. Amongst his treasury of clever and thought-provoking songs is I Don’t Worry About a Thing. 

 

If life is drivin' you to drink
You sittin' 'round wondr'in' just what to think

Well, I got some consolation, I’ll give it to you, if I might
You know I don’t worry ‘bout a thing, cause I know nothin’s gonna be alright. 

You know this world is just a one big trouble spot
Cause some have plenty and some have not,   
You know I used to be troubled, but I finally saw the light
Now I don’t worry ‘bout a thing, cause I know nothin’s gonna be alright. 

Don't waste your time tryin' to be a go getter
Things'll get worse before they get any better
You know there's always somebody playing with dynamite

I don’t worry ‘bout a thing, cause I know nothin’s gonna be alright. 

 

Well, isn’t that an interesting thought? To habitually expect the worst and then you’re not surprised when it happens. No outrage, no disbelief that this could happen, just a nod and the thought, “Well, here you are. I’ve been expecting you.” This just might be the most effective survival strategy for our day and age. Maybe I should try it out.

 

But of course, I won’t. I know that the depth of caring is directly proportional to the richness of life and wholly necessary not only to thrive but to resist our lemming march to the cliff’s edge and steer us to some degree of sanity. But I’m intrigued by the idea of trying it out for one day to see what it feels like. Join the millions of shoulder-shruggers who allow so much evil to flourish with their “whatever” attitude. 

 

But there is a kernel of wisdom knowing that the world has always been a first-class shit-show alongside its pageantry of beauty, that we have no choice but to accept the inevitable pain of simply being human—the heartrending losses and broken dreams and random disasters. Even the spiritual practice that offers the promise of unity with the Universe and blissful tranquility begins with Buddha’s First Noble Truth—Life is suffering. 

 

So next time you’re feeling the weight of it all beyond what you think you can carry, listen to Mose’s song and sing along. It just might help.

 

PS Anyone recognize the title? From Alfred E. Neuman of MAD magazine fame.